I was glad to see it, if only because I get so tired of seeing the same names get recycled around the pro leagues, getting job after job (admittedly, this is a bigger problem in the NFL).

Stevens has shown an ability to get great performances out of recruits and players that other people underestimate, and a commitment to team oriented basketball. I think Rondo will benefit from not having Garnett and Pierce to look down on him as a punk kid (even if he is a punk kid).

All of which, of course, kind of negates the whole "suck really hard so you can get a good lottery pick for next year's draft". But, really, you'd have to work hard to suck worse than Milwaukee, Philly, Washington, Toronto or Orlando.

I think this is actually a good move. Speaking quite sincerely as someone who grew up in Indianapolis, if you can twice get the Butler Bulldogs within arm's-reach of the national championship, you can do anything.

Now if the Celtics actually give Stevens a few years to help grow and nurture the team, this could work out for them. Remember that the Celtics won only 24 games the year before they won their first NBA Championship in 22 years. It seems to be The Order of Things that the Celtics won't remain out of contention for a playoff spot for more than five years at the outside.

(Also, they've won 17 NBA Championships, and all four major Boston franchises have won titles in the last decade, so I have to struggle quite hard not to break out the world's tiniest violin when Boston fans start complaining, with all due respect).